COOK [AKA: LIVE IN THE USA]

This is my first meeting with PFM, which is - together with Banco and La Orme - often seen as the top of the Italian symphonic prog. In first instance I thought this was not as good as Banco, mainly because of the weaker vocal parts. The instrumental handling is obviously great however and this record became one of my favourites after all. As I said I have a vinyl copy, so this record consists of a small 50 minutes instead of the 90 minutes cd duration.

Premiata Forneria Marconi shows a nice blend of classical, jazz and folkrock and uses the "standard" symphonic prog equipment (bass, electric guitar, mellotron and other key instruments and drums) with a violin addition, which gives the folky sound to the band. I always heard that PFM had clear influences from the British symphonic prog scene, but on this live recording this seems not to be the case. No long progressive epics like Yes or Genesis or jazzrock like King Crimson. In fact I thought that this live recording has a distinctive sound.The composition are far more fragmentated then I am used to and it took me a while to "create" songs out of it because of some great changes in style within the songs or compositions. I guess this is one of the characteristics of PFM or the RPI as a genre.

There is some good team play and also room for the individual skills. One of the best parts is a quiet complex guitar tune which is played faster and faster and finishing with an intriguing speed. The violin shows many rhythm of folk and other styles in the last composition and finishes this record.

Enough ingredients in this "Cooking pan" for a nice listen. The instrumental skills are of a very high level and the only big disadvantage are the vocals, which are sometimes mediocre. This live recording makes me interested in the studio recordings of PFM. The recording is good for a live recording, but I expect the studio recordings to be better.